Lessons in Love
by jacksonstone
Summary: Derek never intended to fall in love when he decided to move back to California. He planned on being his usual broody self as he raised his twin sons as a single father, but will the cute and eccentric teacher change all of Derek's plans? AU STEREK. NO WEREWOLVES. SLASH.


Derek had always been a light sleeper, if asked it was because his family had always played tricks on the youngest male in the family, putting his fingers in warm water, painting his nails with Laura's nail polish, or something equally childish and annoying. True that all that had happened, but the reasons behind his touch and go sleep cycle are for reasons, a completely set of different reasons. To sum it up in a way that wouldn't make Derek brood for a fortnight, is that he didn't want a repeat of what happened when he was a teenager, but again, that was not to be brought up.

Ever.

However a few years later, which brings us to today, he now has a couple more reasons that he was constantly listening for any sounds in the house that didn't belong. Take tonight for instance, Derek internally groaned, as he heard the bedroom door open slowly. He cracked an eye open and gave the alarm clock a one eyed glare as the numbers, 4:27 AM glared back at him, bright, red and almost mocking in the dark room. Derek shut his eye and remained still, keeping his breathing even, hoping to convince the intruder that he was asleep and that whatever was bothering the other figure, wasn't that bad or scary and that they should return to their own bed.

No such luck.

He heard the tiny feet start to pad over to his side of the bed, making loud thumps across the plush soft carpeting, and then nothing, complete silence. The movement had stopped and then there was a sniff, which was all wet and full of mucus. Moist fingers made their way onto Derek's face, and really tried not to think where those fingers have been or what has all over them. Luckily his train of thought is cut off almost immediately by a voice whispering in the silence. "Daddy?" a grief laced voice called out quietly. "Daddy? Are you sleeping?" Derek, who knew he was fighting a losing battle, opened his eyes and his vision locked onto his youngest, who had a look of sheer panic on his face, tears streaming down his cheeks. Derek's immediate reaction was to jump out of bed scoop up Scott and be the overprotective, overbearing parent he swore he would never be. In hindsight it was a good thing really, that he hadn't freaked out seeing his son crying, as it would have made Scott think that it's something that he should be scared of or something far worse that it really was.

"Yeah Buddy, what's going on?" He asked voice a little gruff from sleeping, but it was full of concern as well.

"I- I-I'm scared." Scott admitted, using one of his many stuffed animals, as a resource to wipe away the wetness on his cheeks.

"There is nothing to be scared of, remember we searched your whole room before you went to sleep, and then we said the monster oath, so that no monsters would bother you." He said reaching out and rubbing Scott's back, in a soothing motion.

Scott shook his head, the longer curls on his head bouncing as he did so. "I know…" He hiccupped, "I don't wanna go to school tomorrow. What if the kids are mean to me?" he admits hiccupping, before the crying comes on full force, now that his worry had been said aloud it seemed so much more real.

Derek's heart broke; he hated seeing either of his boys in distress, especially things that he had no control over. Derek pulled the corner of the bed comforter back as he sat up, Scott immediately began climbing onto the bed and was practically on top of Derek, little arms latching around his neck as he cried into his shoulder. Derek shifted a bit and pulled the heavy blanket over them both, going back to rubbing Scott's back, muttering soothing words as he rocked him from side to side. "Everyone is going to love you Scott, you always make tons of friends at the park, and Jackson will be there too. School is fun, you get to learn all kinds of cool stuff and play games. I bet you'll have so much fun, you won't even realize how fast the day goes. I'll be there to pick you up in no time." He softly says, hugging him close.

His son shakes his head no. "I wanna stay with you. I don't want to you to leave. I wanna go to work with you instead."

Derek bites his cheek to keep from laughing; Scott had definitely inherited the Hale stubbornness. "You sure? I think you'd have a lot more fun at school. I'm going to be in meeting, with lots of old people talking and arguing, I will be stuck in my office, with no fun music, and I have to draw things without any colors, it's like being in time out all day." He says noting how Scott has stopped crying and was still, clearly taking in what he was saying.

He rubs his face on Derek's shoulder, which clearly has become a towel without Derek realizing, and pulls back so that he is face to face. "That doesn't sound very fun…" He admits, looking up into his father's green eyes.

"It's not," Derek smiles, pressing a kiss to Scott's forehead, "I really think that you will have a lot more fun at school."

The opening of the bedroom door opening yet again grabs both of their attention and as expected Jackson was peering in. Where there was one, the other wasn't far behind. Jackson was surveying the scene quietly, taking in all the details of what happened. He walked over the other side of the bed, climbed up and snuggled down, making it known that he wanted to sleep in here and that was that. If anyone saw the scene, they would assume that it was just Jackson's way of not wanting to be left out. However Derek knew his kids, he knew that Jackson was just as nervous as Scott was, he just internalized everything, he was very much like himself in that aspect. Derek looked down at him and couldn't stop the smile from creeping onto his face. "Comfy are we?" Jackson grinned back, glad he wasn't being sent back to his own bed immediately as he nodded his head. Scott took this as a cue that they would be slumber partying it up tonight with their Dad tonight. He grinned widely and scrambled down and lay next to Jackson, all fears of the morning forgotten for the moment. Derek rolled his eyes fondly at the boys sharing the pillow on the other side of the queen bed.

Derek contemplates doing what he should do, taking them back to bed, but then that would make his and their bodies to wake up more, which in turn would make it harder for them to sleep and there was a chance that all the movement would wake Laura up, even though, Derek knew she was just as much of a light sleeper as himself. So instead, he just went with it, leaned over to kiss each of their foreheads, before slumping down so he was laying, facing his boys and closed his eyes. "Night Boys."

"Night Daddy"

"Night."

"Don't even think about it." He says cracking his eye open, catching the twins' inches away from what he knew was going to be a pounce attack. They grinned up at him, giggling, not mastering the looks of innocence yet. "Go to sleep." He says firmly, closing his eyes again. He waited a few moments before opening his eyes again, catching them doing a countdown on their fingers. Jackson caught his eye and then laughed, because that just what you do when you get caught doing something you've been warned not to do. "Sleep." Derek repeated. "Or I will forget to put in chocolate pudding in your lunchboxes and add extra celery." That statement caused a look of horror to cross the boy's faces, and they settled down and closed their eyes. Derek looked at them with a smug look, and lay down as well.

What happened next, no one was expecting, there was a loud "Aha!" moments before Derek jumped out from the comforter and was over his boys tickling their sides, causing surprised fits of giggles to erupt from the two youngest Hales. "You think you guys could trick your Dad? Catch me off guard? I don't think so!" He sing-songed before he let out a menacing laugh, the one that Scott makes him do repeatedly when they played Knights and Dragons, and kept up the tickling. He made sure to keep it up for a little bit, not letting either one escape, before he flopped down in-between them, and pulled them both close. "Now sleepy time…for real."He smiles as the twins cuddle into him out of breath, but looking positively warn out, it wouldn't take them long to fall asleep at all.

Success.

It seemed as if the second Derek had finally drifted back off to sleep, the alarm clock from hell decided to make its presence and the time known. Scott, who ended up on the side closest to the alarm, scrunched his face up in irritation and stuck his head under the pillow. Derek reached over and turned off the alarm, slipping softly out of the bed and padded to the shower across the hall, and started his daily routine. He slipped out of his black and grey plaid pajama pants, and stepped into the shower, letting the scolding hot water cascade over his toned body, relaxing the taught muscles that were still a little angry and the workout Derek put them through the previous day. He grabbed the closest shampoo bottle and squirted a generous amount into his hand, before it was worked into his dark locks. After he was all done, he let himself stand under the spray just for a bit longer, hoping it would wash away all traces of his weariness. He paused for a few moments contemplating what he could do, with the few moments of solitude. The boys were asleep, his sister probably was as well, and it had been so long, and a stressful few weeks. He wrapped a hand around himself and bit his lip as the familiar touch sent sparks of pleasure through his body, and bit back a moan. He released his member with jolt, as if it had shocked him. No. He shook his head, grumped at himself as he turned off the water supply, muttering about how he wasn't a teenager anymore and wrapped a towel around his waist and glared at his reflection, willing his erection to go away. He shaved, despite the fact he would have a face full of dark scruffies come closing time at the office. He stalked into his room, smiling softly at the view of his two children, curled against each other, pulled a suit out of his closet, well borrowed closet, and went back into the bathroom to finish getting dressed, apply appropriate amounts of cologne and to add product to his hair, so that it defies gravity.

He checked the time, they still had over an hour before they had to leave for school, and Derek always prepared earlier than necessary for everything, so they were good. The boys had been bathed the night before so that it would allow extra time for tantrums in the morning, but fingers crossed none of that would be happening. He pulled the door to his bedroom closed a little, leaving it open a crack to let the boys sleep just a bit longer. He headed downstairs, not expecting to already smell the rich amazing aroma of coffee already brewing. Guess it was a good thing that he forwent his self pleasure, if his sister is already up. He looked around. No Laura, that's a little strange, she's about as stealthy as an elephant in a china shop. He heard his sister's alarm clock begin to ring and then abruptly silence. He then hears the familiar loud stomping above his head which brought him right back to when they were little kids growing up together, some things never change. The familiar sound changed to that of someone coming downstairs; obviously all Hales are not the most graceful of beings, there was no mistaking this much noise as one of his kids. There was a ding and then the coffee machine began dripping into two mugs that were underneath. Derek looked a little puzzled, and couldn't help the slight twitch of his lips when Laura made her appearance, at the same time the coffee finished its drip. Laura saw the look on her brother's face and pressed a finger to her lips, the classic way, more polite way of telling him to get stuffed and not to say a damn word.

"Coffee first." She said groggily.

"An automated coffee machine…Lazy." Derek says, but he approves his sisters morning beverage purchase.

"Shut Up. You want one….Just remember to put the mugs underneath before you go to bed…otherwise you start your day with cleaning up a puddle….it's not fun. Personal Experience"

Derek laughs at the mental image. "I'm taking us out for dinner tonight, so we should just drive together to work." He says before placing his own finger to his lips in retaliation. In reality, he's just using it as an excuse, to make sure that he actually lets the boys start school this year. He was attached.

He gets a roll of his eyes in return "Der, you don't need to take me out every night….I like having you guys here, it's nice to have a full house, even if I get woken up to laughter at 5am." She says pointedly. "Sorry…" she says sheepishly. He knew that they should have been quieter, but he gets carried away, when it comes to his kids.

"Don't be." She says, all of a sudden serious. "It was nice to hear you laugh, you've been moping ever since you-"

Don't. Don't bring him up." Derek said, gripping his mug tightly, glaring at her.

"-Ever since you arrived." She said giving him a look. "Well at least we know that it's Isaac that has you in this foul mood." She responded smugly, saying his name, just to make a point."I don't get why you are so upset over him , or why you let him get you in this mood, hell I don't even know what you ever saw in him, he was nothing but a-"

"Daddy?" Jackson asks rubbing his eyes tiredly as he moves over to Derek's legs and leans against him. Derek scowls at Laura and picks him up, using his son as a shield from what he doesn't want to hear.

"This conversation is far from over Derek." Laura says in a final tone, before coming over to kiss Jackson on his cheek. "Morning handsome!" She announces in a chirpy tone, an absolute 180 from what she had been like pre interruption. "You want some juice?" Jackson nodded sleepily burying his nose in Derek's neck.

"What do you say?" Derek asks jostling him a bit.

"Yes please." Jackson amends.

"Thank You." Derek replies, not being able to resist a kiss to his forehead as they cuddles. Jackson had been going through some independent phases, so Derek was taking all of these moments with Jackson as much as he could. Scott on the other hand, was a leech. He was always up for cuddles, and being carried and babied, and Derek didn't want that to change. They were growing up so fast, it was crazy. Go upstairs and get ready for school J. You're clothes are on the desk." Derek says as he lowers Jackson to the floor and ruffles his hair. "Don't forget to brush your teeth." He calls after him and smirks a little at the groan of annoyance he hears in return.

Laura, being the epitome of taking advantage of her little brother, in a loving way of course, rinses her coffee mug and sets it out to dry. "I'm going to get the boys ready, and you are going to make us all a good breakfast. I want bacon" She grins as she pats his cheek with a wet hand before heading up the stair laughing. Derek rolls his eyes and wipes off the moisture before heading to the fridge to apparently prepare a breakfast. Great, now his suit is going to smell like bacon all day…

The rest of the morning went off without a hitch, both boys were up, ready, and had eaten every bite of their breakfast and were all buckled in the back of the sleek black Camero. "C'mon Laura, or you can drive yourself to the office!"

"Hold you horses Der! I am coming!" She yells back. It was actually polite of her, usually she'd flip him off and say something obscene or sexual just to grate on Derek's nerves, but her nephews were in the back seat, she would get Derek back sooner or later. Pulling her hair back into a classic ponytail, she heads over to the car, her high heels clicking against the concrete as she made her way over, pushing her sunglasses up onto her forehead as she got into the sports car."I have arrived, we can go now, Hurry up Derek, or we'll be late." She teased placing her briefcase on the floor by her feet, Laura tried to make conversation, but when she only got half hearted, distracted answers out of Derek, she turned her attention the her nephews in the backseat who were always up for conversation. Laura was puzzled at Derek's mood, sure his baby brother wasn't one for many words, except when it came to his kids, but even with them all chatting, she noticed that the longer they were in the car, the tighter his grip on the steering wheel got, knuckles white. A short time later, and after many concerned looks in Derek's direction, they pulled up into the school and parked, which is all normal, except that Derek hadn't moved. His hands were in a vice grip at the natural 10 and 2 positions on the steering wheel, and he was glaring at the school, like it had just insulted him, and that is when it all clicked.

Derek was nervous.

Ok nervous wasn't the word, he was totally freaking out. Laura moved the gear stick into the park position and squeezed his shoulder. "Why don't you walk to the boys in and meet their teacher…might make you feel more comfortable."

"I'm fine" he grumps, but he's getting out of the car and making sure the boys have everything, and walking them into school. He held their hands all the way inside. The classroom that would house the two boys for the next year was like a color explosion. The room was divided up into 4 main sections, there was an underwater section that had a mountain of giant pillows in different shades of greens and blues, all under a giant manta ray made out of shiny material, with other tropical looking fish dangling from the ceiling. The other sections included a galaxy, a jungle, which seemed to house a giant Hamster cage with tubes going every which way, and a racetrack. To say Derek was impressed was an understatement, it made him want to stay and see how all of this would incorporate into their learning. The boys were in awe; Scott even had his jaw dropped as he took in everything. "Dad, this is… _awesome!_" he cheered, while Jackson nodded along, his excitement bubbling up, but still more reserved than his twin.

"Oh yeah, it's totally awesome, it's like the most bestest, magical, super fun place in the whole world!" A slim man dressed nicely, casual and comfortable, yet still professional. "I'm Mr. S. and I'm going to be your Master of Fun for the next year, it's going to be a blast! I promise!" He laughed, as he crouched down so he was on the children's level. The kids seem to take to Mr. S. like they have known him their whole life, talking about their favorite animals and colors. Mr. S. was listening very intently and adding commentary when and where it was needed. After a few moments, Scott turned to Derek and motioned to be picked up, which Derek did, of course he did, his kids had him wrapped around their fingers, and watched as Scott took a deep breath dramatically. "I'm going to stay here; you can go to work by yourself." Scott says before kissing his dad on the cheek, and squirming to get down. Derek burst out laughing as he lowered him to the floor. "Thanks Scott." He replies fondly ruffling his hair. Mr. S. is chuckling watching the scene. Derek looks up at the sound and is taken back momentarily, the man is about his height, maybe an inch or two shorter, with short brown hair, and hazel eyes that were twinkling with mirth as he locked eyes with Derek.

"I'm Mr. Stillinski, or Mr. S to the children, and Stillinski is a name that can be twisted into so many different variations, so we just stick with Mr. S." Mr. Stillinski says extending a hand. "And you are?" He prompted, when the twin's father just stared at him, making him feel a bit self conscious.

Derek's brain finally caught up with where he was and the question he was asked. "Derek. Uh. Hale. Derek Hale, call me Derek, everyone does." He stammered gripping the teacher's hand and shaking it, and why the hell was he nervous all of a sudden, he wasn't 17, he was Derek Hale, and he did not go goo-goo eyed at the first sight of an attractive man. Mr. Stillinski laughs and then takes his hand back.

"Well if you're giving out your first name, then mine is Stiles, yes it's a nickname and no, I won't say what it really is, it's just too embarrassing." He says rubbing the back of his neck. He panics, why would he give a parent his first name, he was supposed to be a professional, he had screwed this up already… Stiles mentally slapped himself. There was a lot of uneasiness in the room, and Stiles had no idea why he decided to flirt with someone way out of his league, who obviously wouldn't be interested, who was only here because of his children, who were his students.

Derek was lost at how warm and soft Stiles hand was, and frowned at the loss of contact. He shook himself, hoping it could pass as a shiver, he was being stupid, Stiles was just being friendly, a teacher to his kids, there was no other reason to it. He seemed to be a bit younger than Derek, so there goes that, a guy like him wouldn't be interested in a brooding single father. He knew that first hand.

Stiles saw that other parents were waiting to speak with him out of the corner of his eye, he smiled at Derek, almost shyly, but with a air of confidence, even if it was mostly an act. The butterflies in Stiles' stomach were more like pterodactyls. "It was really great to meet you Derek, I'm sure we'll see each other again soon." He grins, chuckling at his own joke, of course they would see each other, twice a day, to drop off and pick up the kids.

"Yes. Tonight." Derek grits out. Damn he was making an idiot out of himself. His attention was drawn back when Jackson was trying to grab his lunch box from Derek's hand. "Ok Ok, hold up, let's go put these in your cubbies." He says nodding to a wall that has a large shelving unit with every students name on it. Derek handed them each their lunch box after they had stuffed their backpacks into them first.

"Can we go play now Dad? Puh-lease!" Scott said as soon as everything was situated, clearly itching to go join a group of kids building legos, Jackson was eyeing the coloring station.

"Yeah, give me a hug first." Scott jumped and Derek barely had enough time to catch him. Scott kissed his cheek and hugged him close. "Bye!" and then that was done, he slipped out of Derek's grip like he was covered in oil and bolted to the lego station.

Jackson was looking up at him, with a frown on his face, Derek picked him up and kissed him. "Do you have to go?" he asked quietly, voice wavering a little. "Can't you stay and play with us." Derek frowned, he hadn't expected Jackson to be the clingy one today. "I can't J, I have to go to work and make sure that Auntie Laura doesn't get into trouble at work. Tell you what though." He says. "If you stay and have fun, play games and make new friends, we can see when there is a professional football, or lacrosse or hockey game, and we can all go and spend the entire day out." Derek says hoping to tempt his little athlete, and well if he's honest, they were going to do that anyway, but no one has to know that.

Jackson looks ecstatic and absolutely more than willing to stay at school, if he can go to a real game. He was going to start showing his Dad that he wasn't a baby now. He kisses Derek's cheek goodbye and responds with a "K. Bye." And then he heads to the coloring station, pausing once, to turn and wave once more, before some girl with strawberry blonde hair asks if he wants to share a box of markers.

"Glad to know I'm not the only one that is not above bribery. It's amazing how well behaved kids can be when they are promised with an extra five minutes of free time." Stiles laughs from where he was watching the interaction.

"Yeah, I can see that. I've had to suffer through so many more reruns of Cars or The Lion King, so I could get an extra half an hour of work in." Derek admits, offering a shy look. "Other parents might frown upon it, but I mean, it was going to happen anyway, I may get something out of it as well." Derek looks over at each of his kids, glad that they seem to have settled in well, as he scans the room, he notices that he is the only parent left. "Oh, I should…go…you probably want to start…sorry." Derek says turning to walk away.

"Don't worry about it. It's the first day, we have a whole year ahead for all the things I've got planned."

Derek nods, ever being the stupid boy. "Have a good day, Mr. Stillinski." Derek says professionally.

"You as well, Mr. Hale." Stiles mocks with a goofy grin.

Derek nods stupidly again, goes out to the car, and ignores Laura's constant teasing of him becoming a softie.


End file.
